Method of applying slide fastener elements to carriers of metal or wire mesh



L. RAPPAPORT METHOD OF APPLYING SLIDE FASTENER ELEMENTS Filed April 5, 1948 T0 CARRIERS OF' METAL OR WIRE MESH April 14, 1953 Patented Apr. 14, 1953 METHOD OF APPLYING SLIDE FAS'IENER ELEMENTS TO CARRIERS OF METAL OR WIRE MESH Lee Rappaport, New York, N. Y.

Application April 5, 1948, Serial No. 19,046

lvClaim. 1

This invention relates to a method of applying slide fastener elements to carriers made of metal or wire mesh for use in the manufacture of wrist watch straps, bracelets and other articles.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide means facilitating direct connection of slide fastener elements to wire mesh or similar carriers 'without the intermediary of a stringer or like structure.

It is another object of the invention to provide a method enabling the placement and securement of slide fastener elements in spaced apart relation over the outer edge of a piece of wire mesh and to affix said elements to the latter by any metal bonding process, such as soldering, welding and the like.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a new method according to which a seam of solder or like binder is deposited on opposite surfaces along the free edge portion of a wire or like mesh to which fastener elements are subsequently applied in spaced apart relation to each other so that they extend over said sea-ms, and finally removing seam portions disposed between adjacent fastener elements whereby the nexibility of said wire mesh is substantially maintained.V

It is yet another` object of the invention to provide means rendering the possibility of creating inexpensive and new articles of metal or wire mesh having incorporated therein slide fasteners for coupling and uncoupling abutting ends of the wire mesh.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide means reducing production cost of wire mesh structures of the aforesaid character to a minimum, which structures include slide fastener elements in directly applied condition, whereby a strong, durable, efficient and conveniently operable slide fastener construction in connection I with a metal carrier is obtained whose flexibility is substantially not impaired and is useful' for many industrial purposes.

These and other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawing which discloses, by way of example, the princple of the invention and preferred modes which have been contemplated for applying said principle.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a. top plan view of a piece of wire mesh of any predetermined conguration having fastener velements attached` at opposite edges thereof (only a few fastener elements being shown) v Fig. 2 illustrates a top plan view of a piece of wire mesh folded upon itself with the outer edges in position adjacent each other and with the fastener elements in engagement with each other (part of the folded over wire mesh being broken away) Fig. 3 illustrates a top plan view of a fastener element made in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 3A is a fragmentary, sectional View takenl along line 3A--3A of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 shows an end view in section of two fastener elements placed adjacent each other and with the wire mesh in folded over condition;`

Fig. 5 shows a piece of wire mesh similar. to that of Fig. 1 with fastener elements attached to opposite edges thereof and illustrating steps-of the process contemplated by this invention;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 ofvFig. 5;

Fig. 7 shows a cross-sectional view similar to that of Fig. 6, but in modified form;

Fig. 8 illustrates a top plan view of a piece of' /I wire mesh in folded condition and with the fasf tener elements in locked or engagedpositio'n,

similar to the structure shown in Fig. 2 but in i watch metal strap industry, the wire meshbeing: easily and readily bendable or foldable along respective fold lines`I3, I4, as indicated-in Fig. 1-

and more clearly seen in Figs. 2 and 4.

In accordance with the present invention,'slide fastener elements I5 of the type shown in Fig. 3 f

may be attached to edges II and I2, respectively,

in staggered relation, so that e. g. fastener ele.-

ment I5a comes to lie between fastener elements I5b and I5c, in closed or engaged position of said fasteners, as it is well Vknown in the art. Each :of the fastener elements has two prongs I6, I'I as indicated in Fig. 3, the inner faces of the latter being provided with extremely thin layers or coatings I8, I9 of solder or of any other known y low melting bonding substance which is capable of retaining metal fastener elements on the metal mesh piece Ill. The latter may be made of copper, silver or any suitable alloy which can be easily shaped and is suiciently pliable so as to follow any movements e. g. of the arm of the wearer of the metal strap and like article.

The fastener elements may be attached in position along the respective edge portions II, I2 of the metal mesh piece I0 by means of a clamping device 2li which is preferably electrically heated,

l as by high frequency or induced electric currents (Fig. 3A), whereby the respective layers I8, I9

of a soft solder or other metal binder having a low melting point will cause a local connection of the respective fastener elements with the upper and lower surfaces of the wire mesh I0 at predetermined locations of edge portions II, l2.

The thickness of this wire mesh piece I0 isy {It is well understood that the fastener element I5 contemplated by this invention is otherwise of conventional design and need not; further;r to'4 be describedfin greaten detaill Fig. 5 discloses steps of the invention in a somewhat modied form. Wire mesh 30 h-as the;y

side portions 3|, 32 along which, extendoiset solder or like bonding seams 3.3.'3onthefuppersurface 35 as well as underface 36, whereby-e. g. fastener element 40 having the prongs 37, 38 and respective circular recesses 39 therein.. may.-v be:

placed astride said upper and lower solder seams so that such recesses are alignedwith said seams' for connection with the wire mesh 30 by Clampsing or bending prongs 31, 3B thereagainst and into contact with,.saidseams andunder the4 influence of electric heat treatment, as may be visualized" fromv Fig; SAeinconjunction with Fig.A 6, which showsgthe result of gthebonding step between element,4, seams,3.4. and respective edge portions-of Wire mesh 39. Fig. 6 illustrates:insecticnhow seam', 3,4, onupperg and lower surfacesY 33, 36 of edge332;isenclosedfwithin recess 39? of the legs or prongs-,of thefastenerelementd- Y showscertain further'steps accordingto suchlasdesignated lbynumeraldi a and positioned between: fastener,A element. 40a,4 40haiXed onto;

the,l` Wire,l mesh; 3.0.. have` beenA removed. (by mechanical or other known means); wherebyja freev space., 4.11; is. obtained. int.ermediatev said adjacent fastener elements,l Thus, thegpliagbility 0f they wrefmesh.. structure; 3.0; is. substantially mein'- tandr.

Figs'. 8; showsithe wirezmesh 30 folded. condition; with'. folch lines. 42,; 43. forming the;v side edges, while fastener elements 40a, lhdcare,

shoWn.-.in..locked; position.. and; having the free space 4.1 therebetween.

Eig; 7 .r illustrates; fastener..` element., 50; aiixedL to edgetjfpf` wire meslrS-Ii;V at the'free end ofi which there is vdeposited;a;sulostantially at seam 5l extending:alongvv the upper surface 35'; and lowerwsurfacea-Ii"'offwirevmesh 30. The lateral extent .of seaml` is substantially, reduced in size as compared` withv seams 33, 34fof Figs. Sand 6 so that also shorter fastener.v elements Efmay be.

utilized=having: the prongsifand Sii-andthe recess.. 511.v lSeam 'Slisubstantially corresponds in shape'and'extent to said recessed.v as seen in Fig.- '7: It'is-wellunderstood that fastener elementi' 50. willV beA connected.' by 'means of fa. clampy ingand electric: heating devicel (similar to that show-n inFig, 3A 2to1the seam Eiland wire mesh 30"'and thatfintermediate: portions ofthe seam 5| mayfberemoved` (eitherbyheat treatment or mechanically)` andin-thesamemanner as set forthwithVV respect to-thefembodiment of I1Fig. 5v

ingx thel prongsoff the-J fastener elements, heath treatmentl may be applied-- to the wire mesh structure, whilethe -fastenerfelements are supplied-to the 4la-tterforposition thereon inspaced apartrelation-by any-known and-suitable ma- 4 chine for producing and/or applying slide fastener elements to a carrier.

Itris; further-to be obsereved'that. the vpressure to be, exerted;` on the prongsiofj said, slide fastener elements in the direction of said wire mesh structure is only suflicient to straighten out the prongs for contact with the edge of the Wire mesh structure'without'distorting or damaging the latter.

It is tobe: noted?4 that it is also contemplated according to the invention to interconnect by means, of= separable fastener elements the aforesaid. wire meshstructure and any known flexible structuremadefof fabric, leather or the like for variousindustrial purposes.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided according. toVv the invention process and means ,for attaching separablrfastener elements in spaced relationto each othereach equipped with prongsalong .oppost'e surfaces of edge portions of a wire, mesh structure by interposing metallic bonding meansbetween said prongs of. each fastener element' andsaid edge portionsrof' said wire mesh, bendingsaidvprongs of saidfas.- tener elements into contact with saidedge portionsof said wire mesh structure, applying heat tou said bonding means to thereby cause. said metallic bonding means to connect said fastener elements onto said. edge portionsA of said wire mesh, and nally removing bondingmeans posi'- tioned intermediatel adjacent and spacedY apart'.

fastener elements to substantially maintain .exi-I- bilityA of said wire mesh structure.

Having thus described the inventiomwhatis.

claimed as new and desired to .be secured by Let ters Patent, is:

The process of attaching-,along an edgeV portion of a wire mesh structure fastener elements, each equipped with a pair of prongswhich are pro videdY with recesses in adjacent faces of said. prongs, which consist in depositing on boththe.

upper and lower surfaces of said edge portiona seam of solder material corresponding approxi-A mately to the dimension of the recessesiof.` said prongs of said'f-astenerelements, placing said fastener elements in spaced apart relation to each. other with their prongs astride said edge portion.

and saidA seam, aligning; said recesses with. said seams, and applying pressure and heatftc `said prongs to bend themV inton contact with said seams andv wire mesh structure to bond said fas--Y tenerV elementstosaid edge portion of said wire mesh structure.

LEE RAPPAPORTQ References marin. the me of thisfpatenti UNITED STATES PATENTSJ Number Name Date 399,032 Guild ,Maiz 5, 1889 474,584. Tobey, UMay 1o, 18.@2l 649,204 Grow/elle et al. Mayy 8, 1900. 1,823,028. Caldwell '.tSept. 15, 1931. 2,063,515V Morin Dec. 8, 1936 2,095,209 Brownsun .Oct..5`,' 193.7V 2,252,305 Pushner Aug. 12,1941` 2,300,517 Milton Nov. 3, 19,42 2,494,137 Martnes .J,an. l0; 195.0

FOREIGNfPATENTs.

Number Country Date* 9,817/32 Australia Aug; 31, 1933' 104,950 Sweden July 7', 1942 

